Game



R. AA BEARD 2,182,531

` GAME Filed April 17, 1937 3 Sheets-Sheet l El -.L..'..

Dec. 5,` 1939.

R. A. BEARD Dec. 5, 1939.

GAME

Filed April 17, 1937 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 on# saous Mau 00W -rua amava 0 3 3:! 'Guano OOZ HaIMu.

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GAME

Filed April 17, 1937 Patented Dec. 5, 1939 UNITED TES naar,

1 Claim.

As games of pure skill playable on gameboards have long been popular and as many people prefer them to games of chance, I have devised this invention in order that practical and entertaining games of pure skill may be played, providing for the use of make-believe money or other numerical or financial counters in keeping constantly changing sco-res as the games progress.

A more specific object is to make possible the simulation of business transactions, money transfers, humorous situations, or other matters of interest to the players in real life, in such Ways that games of skill employing these features may be played.

Another object is to provide, .in games of skill, more and greater chances of reaching a plurality of major as Well as minor goals.

Another more specic object is to provide in games of skill, for frequent, denite changes in scores, and to make convenient the use of counters, preferably make-believe money, to record the extent and directions of these score changes as the games are played.

With the foregoing and other objects in View which will become apparent as the description proceeds, the invention resides in the novel subject matter hereinafter described and claimed, description being accomplished by reference to the accompanying drawings.

Fig. 1 is a plan view of a game-board disclosing the principal preferred features.

Fig. 2 is a view similar to Fig. 1 but showing certain variations.

Fig. 3 is an enlarged plan view of the central portion of the board of Fig. 2.

Fig. 4 is another plan View showing a still further variation of the game-board.

Fig. 5 is a plan view representing some of the make-believe o-r stage money.

Fig. 6 is a perspective view showing some of the playing pieces or men.

The game comprises briefly, a game-board having certain characteristics to be hereinafter described, a plurality of playing pieces or men, and a plurality of financial or numerical counters, preferably in the form of make-believe or stage money.

The game-board is of any suitable material or size. It is square or approximately so and its four edges are to be disposed toward four players, respectively. As hereinafter more definitely described, the board is provided with four varieties of playing squares allotted one variety to each of the four players, said varieties each having the same number of playing squares, and in order to conspicuously identify the squares belonging to any player, the great majority are uniformly colored. A majority of at least twothirds of the squares are of four clearly distinguishable essential powered varieties, the squares of one essential variety lbeing right-sideup to one of the four sides or edges of the playing eld, and the squares of the other three essential powered varieties being right-side-up to the other three sides or edges of said playing field, respectively, the right-side-up positions of the squares of any essential variety being indicated by the right-side-up position of printed matter or indicia appearing within the same. Thus, with four colors, brown, red, green, and white, for example, and with the printed matterv or designs in four different right-side-up positions, the playing squares of the four players may be at all times conspicuously identified. The

squares of the four essential varieties are distributed over the entire playing field without regard to any checkered or alternate design and in such relation that some of the squares of the four different essential varieties are provided in any important area or section into which the board may be divided by imaginary lines, such as fourths or thirds, in such relation that the squares of the four varieties adjoin and intermingle in any such area or section of the board. Three forms of the board are disclosed. One at lll in Fig. 1, another at lila in Figs. 2 and 3, and a third at Ib in Fig. 4, and they will be fully explained hereinafter'.

The playing pieces or men may be of any desired size, shape and material to be easily moved by the players without liability of rolling, and disks or the like such as those shown at ll in Fig. 6 will suice. There may beany desired number of these "men (preferably forty-eight) and they are equally allotted to the four players, and in order to identify the men of any player with his playing squares, said men are preferably given the same color as said squares. As brown, red, green and white have been used as examples of identifying colors which may be used, these colors have been represented on the aforesaid playing squares, and on the men H. Although only one man of each color is shown, there may be any selected number, twelve of each being preferred. n The financial or numerical counters, preferably consist of make-believe or stage money representing the currency of any country in coins, bank notes, treasury notes, checks, etc.

of any desired denominations. For example, stage money I2 has been shown in Fig. 5 representing U. S. currency in denominations of $10, $50, $100, $500 and $1000. While only one note or the like of each denomination is shown, there may be as many as desired, and the total represented may be any amount, for instance, $50,000. At the start of the game, say $20,000 of the money is divided equally among the four players ($5000 to each) and the rest is kept in the treasury by any one of the players who may be selected as the treasurer.

The object of each player is` to obtain as much money as possible, both from his opponents and from the treasury, and the game ends when any player loses all of his money or has played with and lost all of his men, the winner being the one having the most money on hand. However, before the way of playing can be explained, a definite description of one form of the board will be necessary and as I now con- .sider the board l of Fig. 1 as preferred, the

` description will be directed primarily thereto.

The four edge portions of the board I0 may bear identifying names, numbers, letters, titles or the like to be assumed by the four players respectively. 'Ihe titles Doctor, Banker, Politician and Producer are shown and for purposes of explanation, the players will be called by these titles.

The major portion of the board is divided into a plurality of adjoining playing squares. In the embodiment under consideration, there are twelve horizontal rows of these squares with each row containing twelve squares. For descriptive purposes, the twelve rows are identified by the numbers i3 to 24 but it is impracticable to apply reference numerals to the individual squares in view of the printed matter and colorindicating lines appearing thereon. The squares are allotted equally t'o the four players and any players squares are scattered over the board. Most of these squares are conspicuously identi- Y ed by colors, although two in row 16 and two in row 21 are distinctively identified by heavy outlines and heavy parallel cross lines. The colored squares of doctor are represented as being brown, those of banker red, those of politician green and those of producer white. although any other colors could be used if desired.

All of the squares belonging to any player are numerically or financially powered, in the present disclosure by symbols representing U. S. dollars, ranging from say to $600. All of the financial symbols on the squares of any player are so printed that they appear right-side-up only to him. All of the colored squares preferably bear wording to inject items of interest and humor into the game as will be seen by reading some of said wording, the wording for doctor being such as would apply to a doctor, that for banker being selected to apply to a banker, etc. All of this wording on the squares belonging to any player is so printed as to appear right-side-up only to said player.

'Ihe four distinctively identified squares above mentioned (two in row 16 and two in row 2l) belong one to each player and the financial power of all is the same-$200 for example. The printed matter on each of these squares is distinctive and is the same for all, bank nite being illustrative of printing which may be used. As with the colored squares, the financial power and other printing on these bank nite squares,

is readable right-side-up only to the respective owners of said bank nite squares.

The four central squares, two in row 18 and two in row 19, belong one to each player and they are specially identified, for instance by printing Pay square on each. All of these pay squares are financially powered equally, for example by printing $500 thereon. The financial power and the other printing on each of these pay squares is such as to appear right-sideup only to the owner.

While the bank nite squares, the pay squares, and the various other squares above described, all constitute playing squares over which the men I! are moved, said bank nite squares and said pay squares also constitute goals which dictate amounts of money to be paid from the treasury" under ceitain conditions. Additional goals 25 and 26 are provided in the present disclosure, disposed along the edge portions of the board l0 and these goals 25 and 26 determine other amounts to be paid from the holdings of the players themselves, under certain other conditions, all of which will be hereinafter explained.

The goals 25 and/or 26 may be termed Pension goals and they are allotted equally to the four players. They may be of any desired design and may be associated or connected with the outside squares o'f the main playing eld in any preferred way. In the present showing, the goals 25 are connected with these outside squares by short lines and the goals 26 adjoin the outer ends of said goals 25. Preferably, the goals 25 are narrower than the squares with which they are-associated, so that they will not lose their identity even when associated with adjoining squares, as shown. All of the goals 25 and 26 have pensions printed thereon, for

example $500 and $1000, and the goals of any player are identiiied by giving them the same color as that of his playing areas and his men Il. 'I'he pensions are so printed that those on the pension goals of any player will appear right-side-up only to him. In the present showing, there are eleven pension goals 25 and eleven pension goals 26 at each edge of the board, and each player owns all eleven of the goals 2'6 at the edge of the board opposite that at which he sits, owns six of the goals 25 at the edge of the board to his left, and owns five of the goals 25 at the edge of the board to his right, making twenty-two goals available to his men Il unless guarded by the men of his opponents. All twenty-two of these pension goals owned by any player are reserved for the exclusive use of his own men, being the only spaces on the entire board onto which opponents cannot move their men, it being of course understood however, that no player can move onto any square already occupied.

The rules of the game may be such as to allow each player to start with any given number of men 11 upon the board and said rules may designate where said men are to be placed before play begins. For illustrative purposes, ve men, 1l, for each player will be specified as the number to be used at the start and as the maximum number which any player may have upon the board at' any one time, and ve of each players own playing squares will be designated as starting squares upon which to initially place said ve men. These starting squares may be considered as being the corner square to .the players right, the next 'two squares interposed treasurer.

diagonally between said corner square and said players bank nite square, and the two central squares in the outer row toward said player. For example, the starting squares of doctor are those bearing chiggers- $20, medical eX- amination $70, radioitis $100, falling hair $80 and stii neck $20. If desired, the starting squares could, of course, bear some symbol, indication or the like identifying them as such, but the rules to accompany the game may well be relied upon instead, or the players themselves may decide upon the starting squares to bc used.

To play the game, the four players sit at the four edges of the board I and assume the titles doctor, banker, politician and producer. All playing squares and goals containing printed matter appearing right-side-up to any player, belong to said player, and the color of said playing squares and goals determine the color of the men II which said player is to use. Each player is given a predetermined number of men (preferably twelve) of the proper color, and he occupies his starting squares by placing a man on each of said squares. It will be recalled that the starting squares of any player are the corner square to his right, the two squares diagonally interposed between this corner square and his bank nite square, and the two central squares on the outside row next to the player. There being iive such starting squares for each player, he places iive of his men I I on them and keeps the remainder in reserve.

The money I2 is uniformly distributed to the players by one of them selected as the He gives say $5000 to each player and keeps the rest in the treasury which may well be a small table or a chair within convenient Teach.

It isl not important which player moves rst or whether the player to his right or to his left moves next but if doctor for instance is the rst to move, banker the second, politician the third and producer the last, the same order is to be maintained throughout the duration of the game. Any player may move any of his men in any available one of eight directionsup, down, right, left, diagonally up to right or left, and diagonally down to right or left, and he may jump the men of any of his three opponents. A mere move from any square to an adjoining square is one complete move and the player musi'I await his next turn before moving again. However, if he jumps, he of course advances further and at the same time captures the man or men which he has jumped. When jumping two or more men at one play, it is not necessary that all jumps be in the same direction and jumping is always optional with the player. Whenever a man II is jumped and removed from the board, the player who has just lost it may if he so desires, place another man on the board from his reserve, when his next turn arrives, but such placing must be upon one of his starting squares and constitutes a move. Each time a player occupies an opponents square by merely moving a man II onto the same, he must pay that opponent the amount indicated on the newly occupied square. Also when making a single jump and landing on an opponents square, the player must pay that opponent the amount indicated on said square, but the owner of the jumped man must pay the player $500. When continuously jumping two or more times, the player pays only for the square on which he iinally lands, but the opponent or viously received) opponents pay $500 for each jumped man. Any time a player movesI onto his own pay square (see the four pay squares in rows I8 and I9) from more than two squares away, the treasurer must pay him from the treasury the amount indicated on said pay square ($500), but whenever a player moves onto an opponents pay square, neither pays nor receives anything. When a player moves onto an opponents nbank nite square from more than two squares away, the treasurer must pay said player from the treasury, the amount indi-` cated on said opponents bank nite` square ($200) but when a player moves onto his own bank nite square, he neither receives nor loses anything.

`it will be recalled that each player owns a number of pension goals 25 and 20, that number being the elevent goals 26 across the board from him, five of the goals 25 to his right, and six of the goals 25 to his left. A player cannot jump into a pension goal but must move into the same from the outside playing square associated or connected therewith. In order to reach any of his goals 20, a player inevitably crosses one of an opponents goals 25 when the goals are placed as herein disclosed, but nothing is gained nor lostI by such crossing and itis of course.

possible' to so arrange the goals that it would not be necessary for a player to cross anothers goal to reach his own.

The pension goals 25 and 26 owned by any player, are for his exclusive use and he may avail himself of themas much as possible. Whenever a player moves one of his men Il onto one of these goals, that man is removed' from the board and pensioned, that is the opponent seated at the edge of the board at which the pension was gained, must pay the player a pension corresponding to the amount printed on the goal upon which the pensioning was achieved. Furthermore, if the player receiving this pension has already received one or more pensions, these previously received pensions must be again paid in full by t'he same person paying the pension just received. The treastuer takes care of all pensioned men II as soon as removed from the board. He places all which have earned a $500 pension on a $500 bill of the money I2, and all which have earned a $1000 pension on a $1000 bill. He can lthen determine at a glance the gross pension due any player whenever he earns another pension.

Each player should obviously endeavor to use his own playing squares as much as possible, to

avoid payment to opponents; should seek his own pay square (paying $500 from the treasury) should seek his opponents bank nite squares (paying $200 from the treasury) should seek his own pension goals 25 and 26 (winning pensions of $500 or $1000 and also gaining repayment. of any pensions p-reand should constantly endeavor to block the plays of opponents and to capture their men, each captured man earning him $500.

The game stops when any player -is out of.

money or out of men and the winner is the one then having the most money on hand.

The board Il]a of Figs. 2 and 3 is provided with a plurality of distinctively identified starting squares upon which to place the men at the start of the game and whenever a man is added to replace a jumped man, said starting squares being shown solid black. The powered squares of the four major varieties are 60 percent or more of the total number provided, and the minor varieties of distinctively identified or starting squares are percent or less of the total number. They are so arranged thatsets of six of them appear in 'the form of pyramids in the four quarters of the board when t'he latter is derived by two imaginary crossed lines extending diagonally from corner to corner of the fboard.

Instead of having four bank nite squares as in the board lil of Fig. l, the board lila of Figs. 2 and 3 possesses one central bank nite square useable by all of the players. also bear the titles or the like to be assumed by the players and it is equally `rffht-side-up to all four edges of the "board f There are more squares on the board lila of Figs. 2 and 3 than on the board l0 of Fig. l, thirteen rows of thirteen squares each, being shown. More of the pension goals 25a and 26a are also shown. Then too, the pay squares .are differently located, the third square in from the center of each vedge of the board being a pay square. Aside from the differences men tioned, the board lila of Figs. 2 and 3 is so similar to the board I0 of Fig. l as to require no further description. The same rules apply except that six men may be had upon the board at any time by each player and the single bank nite square acts to the advantage of any player moving a man onto it. The owner of any man moved into this bank nite square receives $100 from the treasury,

The board Illb of Fig. 4 is very similar to that of Figs. 2 and 3. The starting squares are distinctively identified and disposed in sets which radiate from the central square to the four This square maycorners of the board, being shown solid black. The powered squares of the four major varieties are percent or more of the total number provided, and the minor varieties of distinctively identified or starting squares are 40 percent or less of the total number. There is no bank nite square, but pay squares are provided, located as in Fig. 2, the third square in from the 'center of each edge of the board being a pay lsquare. The central square is neither powered nor owned but preferably displays the titles 01 the like to be assumed by the players.

The invention may be embodied in numerous forms other than those shown and it is therefore to be understood that the present disclosure is illustrative rather than limiting.

I claim:

A gameboard having a square main playing eld and a margin surrounding the same, said main playing fieldv being composed of at least four clearly distinguished varieties of playing areas, said playing areas of one of said Varieties having value indicia right-side-up to one edge of said playing field, the playing areas of the other three varieties having value indicia rightside-up to the other threeedges of said playing field respectively, and means in said margin outside said main playing field defining goals of four different varieties clearly distinguished in the same manner as said playing areas and disposed along the four edges of said playing field, one variety of said goals having goal Values marked thereon right-side-up to said one edge of said main playing field, the other three va rieties of said goals having goal values marked thereon right-side-up to said'other three edges of said main playing iield respectively.

ROY A. BEARD. 

